The One to Count On...

Lawmakers Look at Legality of Police GPS Devices

Lawmakers are looking at a bill that would allow all police forces to use GPS devices to track someone’s car. The devices are currently used by specialty police forces, and are attached to a suspect’s car, then used to track the movements of the suspect. Sergeant Jason Bell from the Southeast Iowa Inter Agency Drug Task Force says that the devices are great tools to have in a drug case. It allows them to look at possible locations for the selling or manufacturing of drugs.

County Attorney Larry Brock says the bill that legislatures are looking at would allow all police forces to use these devices, but some groups are saying its an invasion of privacy.

Advocates of the devices say its no different from following a suspect but it requires less manpower, while those opposed say that allowing the devices to be used for 30 days would give officers more information than they need for their case. KCII will monitor this bill as it makes its way through the legislature.